344 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 31, 1893, 



Massachusetts Out-of-Season Quail. 



Boston, Oct. 8.— Editor Forest and Stream: In "Wood- 

 craft" "Nessmuk" quotes from one of his own poems in 

 "Forest Runes": 



"And lungs are poisoned and shoulders bowed, 

 In the smothering reek of mill and mine; 

 And death stalks in on the struggling crowd — 

 But he shuns the shadow of oak and pine." 



With ' 'Nessmuk's" word's ringing in my ears, I started 

 for the 8:35 train on the Providence road one day last 

 week. I had my usual accompaniments— dog and gun — 

 and intended to enjoy the company of the oaks and pines, 

 even if the pockets of my shooting-coat did not bulge out 

 much at nightfall. I had with me a young man from the 

 office who had not been in the woods for a number of 

 years, and to witness the pleasure and joy beaming o'er 

 his face at the sight of hills and valleys would do one 

 good. His exuberance was almost childish. 



We tramped about through briers and swamps without 

 getting a shot. I noticed that his courage was failing him 

 and endeavored to cheer him. He admitted that he ex- 

 pected to see grouse or something else spring up every five 

 minutes. And to make matters worse he sank in a bog 

 hole almost up to his knees and I laughed until I cried. 

 He will never go there any more. 



We found some gray squirrels toward the afternoon. 

 They are in very poor coat as yet. In fact, the tail of 

 one came off in my pocket. In another fortnight or so 

 their covering will be in fine form. 



Close to a farmhouse I heard Bob White and proceeded 

 to investigate. I was led into an almost impenetrable 

 thicket, very wet and boggy. I put up about fifteen birds 

 which I may have a chance at later on, that is if the 

 farmer in the adjoiningjiouse does not have them before 

 opening day. 



I called at the house for some milk and the conversatipn 

 turned to shooting, when the housewife informed me 

 that her husband had shot some quail tliat morning. If 

 he has quail for breakfast every morning up to the loth I 

 will stand a poor chance for a shot. 



We found grouse pretty well scattered and too smart 

 for us to get a shot at them. Cover is too thick as yet. 

 We require a good heavy frost to strip the small growth 

 of its foliage. 



My friend Brann, of Revere, has lately returned from 

 down East, and reports fine shooting on spruce partridge 

 and hemlock partridge, rabbits and other small fry. A 

 ten-days' trip only cost him and his chums $15 each. 



J. P. W. 



[If our correspondent will communicate his information 

 about illegal quail shooting to the Massachusetts Associ- 

 ation he will doubtless have their thanks and do his part 

 toward enforcing the laws and protecting the birds.] 



Notes from the Blackfoot Land. 



PiEGAN, Mont., Oct. l.-^Editor Forest and Stream: The 

 weather for the past month has been simply awful for this 

 season of the year. Early in the month it began to be 

 squaUy and went from bad to worse and did not clear up 

 until the 30th. More moisture has been precipitated in 

 the past twenty days in Montana than in the past two 

 years. 



Dr. James and Dr, Draper, of New York, have returned 

 from their annual outing along the summit of the Rockies, 

 and in spite of the bad weather had a good time. The 

 first day's hunt they killed a very large ram, and from 

 that on always had plenty of meat in camp They made 

 a trail into a certain valley never before hunted, and 

 found there plenty of elk, sheep, goats and deer. They 

 set a certain Saturday for climbing "Flinsch's" peak, but 

 ere that morning arrived the mountains were covered 

 with 2ft. of snow and ice, and they have been obliged to 

 defer the attempt for another year. Half of the time the 

 storm kept them in camp. But that was not so unpleas- 

 ant after all. They had a lodge. That is the kind of 

 shelter we all use in this country; why should one be 

 cooped up in a cold tent, or open camp, or stand shivering 

 around a smoky fire, when a lodge is more convenient, 

 and so much more comfortable. Let the north winds 

 blow, and drift the falling flukes; the lodge is up, and 

 within the hunters sit around the genial blaze, and smoke 

 and dream the tedious hours away. 



Coming back across the summit the party experienced 

 considerable difficulty in getting thfir horses through the 

 snow, which in places was 5ft. deep. No one, however, 

 is better able to handle a pack outfit in a bad place, than 

 their guide, Wm. Jackson. I believe he could take a 

 train over a wall mountain if necessary. 



Oliver Sanderville killed a large female grizzly at Heart 

 Butte last week. He had a .44cal. Winchester carbine and 

 fired six shots, all of which hit the animal. She did not 

 show any fight but tried her best to get away, 



Thomas Bird has killed quite a number of sheep at St. 

 Mary's lately. He has a dog that will bay them, and he 

 is thus enabled to choose the rams and let the females 

 go. 



A late editorial in Forest and Stream speaks of the 

 good influence the Boone and Crockett Club has exerted in 

 various parts of the country, It has certainly done a 



f ood deal toward preserving the game in this section, 

 lembers of the club who have hunted here, have by word 

 and example induced guides and hunters to stop useless 

 slaughter of game, and to kill only enough for camp use, 

 and then nothing but males if possible. The guides in 

 turn have impressed these views on visiting sponsmen, so 

 that to-day, no matter how much one would like to make 

 a "record," his guide will not countenance it. 



The autumn flight of waterfowl has not yet begun. 

 There are a good many ducks here, but they were bred in 

 the vicinity. Chicken shooting contmues good and some 

 good bags have been made. J. W, Schultz, 



Game Notes from Monroe County, Pa, 



The heavy frosts of last week have changed the sum- 

 mer green of the woods to the most brilliant autumn 

 coloring, which pen cannot describe; though the looker 

 on seems enchanted by the hour at the grand display of 

 varied hues interwoven in the miles of forest. 



My attention was called to this place by an advertise- 

 ment in Forest anh Stream, and it is strange that more 

 New Yorkers do not choose this charming country for 

 an outing for trout fishing in the spring, and for hunting 

 during the fall months. The Mountain House is kept 

 by Mr. Thos. H. Stites, situated on the banks of the east 

 and west branch of the celebrated Brodhead's trout 



stream, known as the Anomalink, only three hours from 

 New Yojk, on the D., L. & W. Railroad, to SpragueviUe, 

 ten miles above the Water Gap; three fast trains each 

 day make the trip short and enjoyable. 



Several parties from New York come here every fall 

 to enjoy the hunting, and it is a favorite resort at that 

 time for ladies, who enjoy the walks and drives, or the 

 rest which the place afi'ords. 



Mr. Stites owns 1,000 acres of wood and meadow land, 

 which he now protects for his hunting guests. The 

 grouse shooting is good, birds are more plenty this year 

 thai! for some seasons, and after the leaves are off the 

 sport will be satisfactory. Quail are not plenty, there are 

 fair covers near the place, and last fall the farm was 

 stocked, another yeftr should show good shooting. Wood- 

 cock are ahimdant during the fall flight at end of Oc- 

 tober. Rabbits are plenty and afi'ord one considerable 

 sport in a tramp through the woods. 



Fox hiiuting after Nov. 1 is one of the enjoyments of 

 the place, and as Mr. Stites has then one of the best 

 hounds in the State, one can well spend a morning in 

 this exciting chase. 



The present outlook for shooting is much better than 

 for some years. Veritas. 



Adirondack Deer Hounding. 



Number Four, Adirondacks, Oct. 11.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: The open season for hounding deer which 

 closed yesterday has been by far the most disastrous to 

 the deer in this section ot any previous year. It is re- 

 ported from every locality on the wett side of the Adi- 

 rondacks, unless it be in St. Lawrence county, that there 

 were not moi'e than half as many deer at the commence- 

 ment of the open season for hounding as there were last 

 year, and I think that nine-tenths of these have been 

 slaughtered this season. Within a radius of three miles 

 from Number Four, ever since the open season com- 

 menced, there have not been at any time less than 100 and 

 at times 300 men, and 100 hounds and dogs of all kinds 

 have been constantly on the ground. Not only has every 

 water been watched, but the hunters spread themselves 

 all through the woods, and being such a multitude of 

 them tiiere was hardly a chance for a deer to escape. 



Fifteen to twenty deer were killed every day at first. 

 But as the deer got scarcer not so many were killed. 

 Thirty were killed last week in the two little lakes withioa 

 one-and-a-half miles of the Fenton House. Yesterday, 

 the last day, they made a grand rally and killed eight in 

 the two lakes mentioned. Wagon loads of deer have 

 been taken out most every day. Fully 300 deer have been 

 killed in this immediate vicinity, and I think that 400 

 would come nearer the figure. Ladies have participated 

 in the slaughter, and the meat hunters have been abun- 

 dantly rewarded. How long shall this slaughter go on 

 under tne sanctity of law ostensibly for the protection of 

 the deer? How long shall our State continue to sacrifice 

 her noble game by legalizing a method of hunting deer 

 compared with which crusting or any other method of 

 himting would be protection? Musset. 



Nova Scotia Hunting License. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



During the last three years I have spent part of each 

 season hunting large game in Nova Scotia and I found 

 that there were a few resident sportsmen who were very 

 much opposed to non-resident hunting on their grounds, 

 and the increase in the price of the license is doubtless 

 due to their influence. The majority of the natives, how- 

 ever, were against a non-resident license, saying it kept a 

 great deal of money out of the Province, and money 

 which would be spent vvhere it was needed. 



As for the license being a protection to the moose, the 

 game needs protection ten times as much from the native 

 as from foreign hunters. On one of my trips I met one of 

 the natives who had killed in less than ten days five 

 moose — two cows, two calves and one bull; and he had 

 only commenced hunting and expected to be in the woods 

 for three months or more. Not over one-half of the non- 

 resident sportsmen who go to Nova Scotia moose hunting 

 even see the game they are after, and not one moose in 

 every ten killed each season is shot by them, while they 

 will leave at a low estimate at least |2oO in the Province 

 for each one they get. The native hunter gets on an 

 average about $35 for the meat of each moose he gets out. 



0. M. Stark. 



In White Mountain Forests. 



Camp Dorset, Lincoln, N. H., Oct. 4.— I have been 

 camping in the Franconia Mountains since June 31 alone, 

 excepting for stray fishermen and tourists who happened 

 along. I have been photographing and picking up health ; 

 gained over lolbs. in the time I have been here. Trout 

 do nob average very large, but I have seen many a creel- 

 ful taken out of the East Branch of the Pemigewassetand 

 Franconia branfch. I have some views which I think 

 much of, for the beautiful forest is doomed. The axe is 

 at work on my hills, and in a few years the views I have 

 and expect to take will be an impossibility. I am pretty 

 well posted in these woods now and know just where to 

 look for a deer, of which there are some. I got within 

 20yds. of a fine doe before the season opened; she was 

 lying down, and I had a good chance to inspect her full 

 round glossy form. I was close enough to see the sun 

 glittering on her moist muzzle and could see her eyes 

 shine. She was very tame. I did not attempt to harm 

 her and am not sorry for it. Now is nature in her glory 

 of completion and content. N. 



Gray Squirrel Shooting Wanted. 



Meriden, N. H., Oct. 8.— Can some of your readers tell 

 where gray squirrels abound this fall? It is a rather old- 

 fashioned game, I presume, these days, but as I am very 

 fond of rifle practice it is my favorite game, and it would 

 give me great satisfaction to have a good squirrel hunt 

 this fall in some of the Atlantic States. I came here from 

 the Pacific Coast this fall expecting to find them here as 

 in former years, but was disappointed. 



Thinking you would be likely to hear from some of your 

 correspondents. I take the liberty of addressing you, 

 hoping you will favor me with an early answer, and I 

 hope to learn of some place in the States south of here on 

 the coast. Possibly Virginia would be a good place for 

 this game. H. B. C. 



[A Washington note in last issue named White House, 

 Va., on the Potomac, as a squirrel shooting point. We 

 hope that readers having knowledge of good ranges will 

 advise H. B. C, and others through these columns.] 



The New .35cal. Shell. 



In regard to the new .35cal. rifle shell to hold 25grs, of 

 powder, designed by Mr. Carpenter, permit me to record 

 my note along with "Barrister" in its favor. The shell, 

 if right in othiT respects, will be a great improvement 

 over the small shell we are now using and which holds 

 about 20grs. of powder. I have been shooting the .25cal. 

 exclusively for more than two years, and have used bul- 

 lets weighing from 65grs. up to 115grs., the latter being 

 four calibers iu length. One of the difiiculties in using 

 the heavy bullets has been a lack of velocity, resulting 

 from the small powder charge. These extremely long 

 bullets show a decided tipping tendency when using 21grs. 

 of powder, and this tendency was much reduced when 

 loading at the muzzle with 30grs. of powder, besides the 

 accuracy was improved and the trajectory curve much 

 reduced. The new shell will be a step in the right dirtni 

 tion, not only on account of its capacity for h ' • g- a 

 reasonable powder charge, but on account of its cylin- 

 drical shape inside, allowing the bullet to be seated to any 

 depth desired, and insuring acciu-acy when using any 

 charge within the limits of the shell. The advantages of 

 tins feature are apparent. 



If not too late I would suggest that the Winchester No. 

 3i primer would probably give the best results in the new 

 shell, as it does in the 20grs. bottle-neck shell now in use. 

 The first shells put on the market used the small primer, 

 and with these I always got more or less escape of gas 

 around the primer; but the new Winchester shells taking 

 the large primer are absolutely gas-tight. 



I should like to hear further from Mr. Carpenter about 

 the new shell, and especially what primer it will use. 



NoRRisTowN, Pa. E. A. Leopold, 



Big Bores for Ducking. 



Eljiwood, Editor Forest and Stream: Of late 



I have heard several reports from various gunning stands 

 where large-bore guns are used, I will not say used, for 

 I have not heard of any birds being shot with these guns; 

 but if the reports are true, they are at the stands and with- 

 out doubt are kept for use. Several stand owners have 

 8-bore guns, which seem large enough, and in my opinion 

 too large for any true sportsman to use. 



One gentleman having several of these large guns, 

 argues that if he doesn't get the birds some one else will; 

 and so he goes on with his slaughter every fall, keeping 

 but few for his own use and sending the rest to market. 



The greatest outrage on ducks and geese in the gun line, 

 if used, is a heavy firearm, which, I should say from the 

 description given me by two gentlemen who saw it at a 

 certain gunning stand, was a sort of blunderbus, half oc- 

 tagon barrel, Uin, bore, and so heavy that it is all a man 

 can do to hold it to his shoulder long enough to take aim. 

 The parties owning this weapon claim they have a risrht 

 to use any firearm they can hold to their shoulder. Will 

 you kindly inform me what the law is in regard to the 

 size bore allowed? R. c. Stevens. 



I The Massachusetts law does not limit the bore of a gun 

 for duck shooting, but prohibits the use of "swivel or 

 pivot gun."] 



Game Near Los Angeles. 



Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. T.— Quail are fairly plentiful 

 around here this season, and there have been some good 

 bags of ducks made at the various lakes and sloughs. 

 They are all home bred ducks, however, as the northern 

 birds have not come down as yet. 



The season for quail and ducks opened one month 

 earlier this year (Sept. 1) than last, just about one month 

 too early, as Ihe majority of the quail are not full grown 

 till Oct. 1. and you occasionally find young birds as lateaa 

 this month. I went out after ducks last Monday, to a 

 certain lake near here, and found plenty of young teal 

 and some mallards. This lake is a favorite resort of wild- 

 fowl in the winter, and I had fine^sport there last season. 

 Good luck to "Our Paper." Culpepper. 



One-Armed Shooting. 



Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 10.— A mention of the one- 

 armed grouse hunter induces me to teU of a sportsman of 

 this city. Every time I see him I simply stare in open 

 mouthed wonder. He has lost both his right arm and 

 right leg. The arm is off at the shoulder and the leg at 

 the knee. He uses a wooden peg-leg and it takes a good 

 man to walk with him all day. Although I have seen 

 him in the field, I have neve seen him shoot; but I am 

 told that he can load and fire his 10-bore as quickly as the 

 best. I must confe.s3 tne first time that I saw him I was 

 overcome with a sense of sorrow and sympathy for his 

 great misfortune; but since I have seen some of his bags 

 of ducks I have gradually gotten over that feeling. 



A. B. W. 



The Sinking of a Dead Bear. 



Newburyport, Mass., Sept. 8.— I saw in the Forest 

 AND Stream of July 29 J. G. Rich speaks of some bears 

 sinking at once when shot, while others float. My ex- 

 perience with most animals is that if shot just as the 

 breath is drawn in they will float, if just as they blow 

 it out they sink. 



If salmon don't feed in fresh water, will "Podgers" 

 kindly explain how he gets the hook into their mouths? 



A. 



[Some say that the salmon takes the 'fly for sport; 

 others say in anger; others have other theories in which 

 the food consideration does not enter]. 



Western Massachusetts. 



Willi AMSBURGH, Mass., Oct. 7.— The stage from Worth- 

 ington this morning brought in a bunch of 12 woodcock 

 and 11 partridges, with express tag attached. Wm. Tay- 

 lor, of New York, shot 2 quail, a male and a female, tea 

 days ago in Goshen; this is unusual. A bevy of 9 birds 

 had been previously seen by several persons. Guess this 

 was the only brood in the township? As a whole, grouse 

 and game birds of all kinds are not numerous this fall 

 C. H. 



About Clubs for Deer. 



I HAVE helped to rope deer alive in a lake for stock- 

 ing Blooming Grove Park, but I never pounded the life 

 out of one with a club. It saves ammunition, but it 

 don't seem right. It used to be a method of market 

 butchers only to knock down cattle with an axe; but 1 

 think they are more humane now. In some abattoirs 

 they use eleptiuoifcy, don't they? H, 



